HGTV star on fossil fuel’s payroll

OIL & GAS: A petroleum industry group has spent millions of dollars to spread what it calls ​“provocative anti-electrification messaging” on TV, social media, and in print, including paying an HGTV star for propane-boosting spots. (New York Times)

ALSO:
• The Biden administration elevates a strong clean energy supporter and former Interior Secretary candidate to lead the agency overseeing offshore oil, gas and wind leasing. (Washington Post)
• After a top federal consumer safety official suggests banning gas stoves, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin joins Republicans’ displeasure, saying ​“the federal government has no business telling American families how to cook their dinner.” (E&E News)
• New York’s governor proposes a statewide ban on gas heaters and appliances in new buildings, a first-of-its-kind policy on the East Coast if codified. (E&E News)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: The U.S. EPA directs $100 million to community-based nonprofits and state, local and tribal governments for environmental justice projects. (E&E News)

TRANSPORTATION: The U.S. Transportation Department releases a blueprint for reducing the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions, prioritizing efficiency, convenience and a transition to clean transit options. (Utility Dive)

GRID:
• Homeowners looking to install solar panels and electrify their homes face long delays and exorbitant costs thanks to a nationwide electrician shortage. (Grist/​Post Script Media)
• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signals support for a grid redesign that aims to improve reliability by encouraging the construction of more natural gas-fired power plants. (Dallas Morning News)

CLIMATE:
• Two months after global leaders agreed to create a climate aid fund for developing countries, officials still haven’t pledged any money. (E&E News)
• The last eight years marked the world’s hottest on record. (New York Times)
• Excess heat in the Earth’s oceans reached a new high in 2022, marking the fourth year of record highs in a row. (Inside Climate News)
• The U.S. saw 18 natural disasters costing more than $1 billion in 2022, with extreme weather causing $165 billion in damages last year. (The Hill)

OFFSHORE WIND: A bipartisan pair of Congress members reintroduce a bill to bar energy companies from hiring non-U.S. workers to more cheaply build offshore wind turbines and oil rigs. (E&E News)

STORAGE: Korean battery maker SK Innovation juices pay and benefits at a Georgia factory as it looks to boost its U.S. workforce, illustrating the challenges finding skilled workers for the clean energy transition. (Reuters)

BUILDINGS: After hosting a startup’s successful carbon-capture pilot project in one of its New York City high rise buildings, a real estate firm orders five more systems for its other rental complexes. (Canary Media)

UTILITIES: Federal prosecutors reveal new details and outline evidence ahead of high-profile utility bribery trials in Illinois and Ohio. (Chicago Tribune, Ohio Capital Journal)

GEOTHERMAL: Organizers of the Burning Man festival sue the Biden administration over its approval of a proposed geothermal power development in Nevada, saying it ignored potential impacts on springs and wildlife. (Reuters)

PIPELINES: Michigan’s attorney general is considering all legal options to bring a lawsuit against the Line 5 pipeline back to state court. (Michigan Advance)